


Oikos

by WhywouldIneedaname



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28294158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhywouldIneedaname/pseuds/WhywouldIneedaname
Summary: Thanatos goes to watch Zagreus in the Arena.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 102





	Oikos

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the Supergiant Secret Santa, for gaybirdwrites on twitter. It has been a long time since I’ve written anything, so hopefully this is ok 😊

The amphitheatre loomed above the peaceful glens, intricate statues and winding paths of the Lethe, the focal point of Elysium. A glorious hero, or the shade that is left when the legend and bravado fails, could get turned around from stone doorway to stone doorway, but Thanatos, God of Death stalked as quietly as ever over the stones, cracked with sprouting grass. He felt more at ease here than elsewhere in the Underworld, having personally escorted somewhat less of the denizens, so many meeting their ends at more violent hands than his. The winding, twisting, rewriting route through the domain could not confuse him – Death knew where he was and where he was going. Always.

Or nearly always. He didn’t usually approach the arena – there was no call to. He was consumed by his duties - the journey to this world was his domain and what people chose to do when in it was of little concern. And the work never ended, each year more and more. He took pride in his work, and existed to do it. Unlike his brothers, Thanatos had never taken much of an interest in side-work like Charon, or acquired habits of relaxing like Hypnos. The arena and the fights held no interest to him.

Except. Except. Zagreus. Wasn’t it always Zagreus. He had never found his calling – his purpose as a god. And with his small stature and red blood, he had always been a bit of an oddity. But leaving? Thanatos had heard the rumours, had seen Meg return to the house, at first victorious, but then slumped over with defeat. Each time he made it further. Each time he was closer to being gone forever. The battle raged within him to help, or to accuse. But if he had already reached the end of Elysium, there wasn’t much time left. Quite the alien thought to a god for whom time was a constant colleague.

He had watched Zagreus’ path through the Underworld, and as before he hadn’t managed to step in, but couldn’t stop watching either. Zagreus was still finding Elysium a challenge, but had started to find his feet. Which led him to the Amphitheatre. It wasn’t difficult to slip inside, to stand at the back, behind the jeering crowd of Shades. The crowd leapt to their feet as Asterius threw Theseus across the arena, catching Zagreus unawares. The previous fights had clearly taken quite the toll on him, and it looked as if he had passed up offers of healing for more power. He dashed away, leaving Aphrodite’s tell-tale pink sparkles behind him, but was clearly caught between two much fresher fighters.

He turned to face Asterius, bearing down on him with that huge axe, and fired a shot from the Adamant Rail, expanding into a ball of lightning. For a second, Thanatos was caught up in the ripple of tension passing through the crowd as they watched their favourites, wondering if the battle would turn. But then the weapon clicked, sending nothing into the opposing warriors. This Zeus Zagreus was trying so desperately hard to reach, at the cost of all of them in the house – well, Thanatos just wondered if Zagreus know how fickle the Olympians could be, how fast their favour turned. If he had seen a portion of the wreckage made of mortal lives Thanatos had born witness to, he would not seek to run out into the brittle light of day.

Theseus wheeled round, sending his spear straight into Zagreus’ midsection. That would be it for this run. Thanatos turned his face away, and prepared to teleport away. Zagreus would be staying. At least a little while longer. He didn’t know if he felt he should crow at this, or weep for every time Zagreus was knocked back. Neither would fit the god of death, or whatever being with whatever heart was stood behind the mantle, so he turned away from the roaring of the crowd, and prepared to catch up with his work.

***********

Thanatos still doesn’t visit the Arena much. He is still far too busy, and can spare only the briefest of time to help Zagreus on his runs through his father’s domain. He understands more what exactly Zagreus is running from and to, and doesn’t find himself included in that. He thinks he sees Zagreus’ mismatched eyes light up every time he makes himself known, and the delight apparent in his movements show him just how much Zagreus appreciates their little competition. He sees him get through the underworld stronger and heartier, more ready to face the challenges that lie beyond. It is almost enough the make Thanatos forget about Hades’ disapproval at his work recently. Almost.

He finds himself working at a frantic pace on the surface, trying to buy himself enough time to see Zagreus, even for a few moments. Sometimes it takes aeons, and he returns eventually to the house to find the lounge redecorated, or the hallway strewn with candles. But when he is able to help, to see him victorious? That makes the long stretches of time slip away.

He had ported away from their competition to find a brief lull in work, so quickly returned to Elysium, spotting Zagreus on the cusp of the Amphitheatre. It has been a while since he got to watch Zagreus fight without having to do so himself, so he slips inside the arena. The roaring crowds seem just as blue as ever, until he spots someone he had missed before. A shade, at the front, with a banner for Zagreus. He wonders what it would be like if he could support him like that – if he could be there, watching and cheering when he wins, caring when he doesn’t. He wonders if he should make his way down to him, stand in the light, when he hears footsteps behind him.

Thanatos turns around to find what must be a hero standing behind him. He has not lost his human form like so many of the others, but his clothes say that this man has not wandered in search of great deeds for a long time. Thanatos usually keeps quiet when visiting the domains, as the shades shy from him, but this man gives him only a brief despondent look before settling in on the wall at the back, next to him.

They watch the battle in silence for a while. Zagreus is performing well, throwing his spear and charging right after it, leaving patches of ice in his wake. Theseus throws his spear, but Zagreus dodges out of the way, hurtling past Asterius, only to wheel around and catch him off guard. The crowd are on the edges of their seats, no matter how many times this battle takes place, caught up in the ebb and flow of action. The man next to him does not join in the cheers, watching with a far away look in his eyes.

Thanatos knows him. Of course he does – he has heard of his encounters with Zagreus on the rare occasions when they get to share nectar in the lounge. He has heard some of the whispered conversations with his old master down the hallway. He has even seen the contract – those scrolls piled high in the antechambers, keeping all the house to their choices – their work or their punishments. But it is the first time he has seen what is left of whoever he once was on the surface.

He stays silent. Both of them do. They watch as the weapon of the men they love sails across the arena, piercing Theseus and bringing an end to the match. Perhaps they both dwell on what it is like to be fighters, to be men of action, but tied to someone for whom it is blood. On men who, by living their own lives control theirs. On what it is like to love someone who is not a god, but not a man. The NOISE sounds, Zagreus zips through the opening door, up into the temple above, and Patroclus turns and skulks out the arena, back to his single glade, where Thanatos has the world. Both realms are very quiet.

**********

It is good to work with Zagreus. Not with, exactly, but on the same side. To return to the same house, without the looming fear of Hades. Hades looms less these days, has thawed and softened a little, although not enough to lose his grip of the paperwork. That is good. They need the paperwork. The house must be kept in order, even if it is brighter, happier kind of order.

He doesn’t often get to help Zagreus in his testing of the domain’s security systems, with his work on the world above still continuing at its usual pace. He doesn’t know if it is his sisters’ weaving, but occasionally he will find enough time to find Zagreus in the maze of Asphodel, or Elysium and follow him to the Arena. He looks at the grass sway in the non-breeze, and thinks of Zagreus’ mother, so beloved of his own, planting it. Giving the mortals some rest, some peace, some beauty once they land down here. He thinks how she has done that for them all.

He strides into the amphitheatre, remaining quiet but filing forward, to sit (quietly) beside Zagreus’ fan. He scans the crowd as he passes, and spots Patroclus, arm to arm and knee to knee with his love, who is entirely caught up in the feinting and weaving Zagreus is performing down in the pit. Thanatos lets his eyes swivel to his own glorious part-mortal, part-god, all-caring man stood in the middle of the ring, Pom Blossom pin gleaming on his tunic. He watches him dash around Asterius, knocking him away with a salt-water wave. He sees him call on his Cousin for her protection before dancing round Theseus, knocking away his spears. He watches him dart forward, fire licking up his sword as he drives it forwards, seeking out the weaknesses in his father’s minion’s defences, left by being untested for so long. Down in the ring Zagreus whirls around, fast as quicksilver, bringing change to things that thought they were long past that.

Theseus falls at his feet. The crowd winces as Asterius bellows and catches Zagreus in the side in one of his long sweeps, but Thanatos doesn’t feel anything resembling a heart race in his chest. He knows - spear to the chest or a smouldering out on the surface, Zagreus will return, will meet him in the corner he has ridiculously decorated for him. He pictures Zagreus darting through the garden Persephone has opened back up, of him standing in the lounge with a drink, gesturing wildly. He sees them all growing, of the house more stable than it has been in years, of thriving.

Zagreus stands face to face with Asterius, facing each other down in a staggering show of strength. Zagreus slips his blade past Asterius’ guard, and the cheers ring out across the amphitheatre. The door grinds open, and Zagreus waves at his fan before charging onward and upward. Thanatos prepares to teleport away – the work, as ever, waits for no one. It is ok. He will see him at home.


End file.
